Our Sunday morning class has been reading through a book by Martin Marty (ELCA Pastor and Professor of History at University of Chicago) titled Lutheran Questions: Lutheran Answers. Week before last, we were discussing "Why Jesus had to die." I remembered that discussion as I read this morning's passage from Isaiah 53.
Contained in Isaiah are four sections referred to as the "Servant Songs." In these, the prophet outlines what it means to be God's chosen one. The chosen one is a servant.
You might want to read these "songs." They are contained in Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12.
In Isaiah 53, there are familiar images, associated with the death of Jesus. "He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth." "They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich."
Jesus dies because he will not take back the things he has said. Jesus dies because he will do nothing other than what God has commanded. Jesus dies because he refuses to fight back. He dies because he will not abandon his message of mercy.
God's chosen, in Isaiah, is a servant. God has chosen us, too. And service is the way we reveal this selection. We are not to seek position or prestige. Instead, we are to seek opportunities to do mercy.
Pastor Chris
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment